The Chepauk was the venue for another victory for the home team Chennai Super Kings as they clashed against the Delhi Capitals, led by David Warner, in the 55th match of the IPL 2023.
With an exceptional all-round performance by the CSK players, they held on to their second position on the points table and elevated their points tally to 15, after seven victories in the season so far.
Stephen Fleming, the head coach of CSK, recently revealed that MS Dhoni has been following a specific training routine, keeping in mind that he may only get a few overs to bat in a match.
Fleming highlighted that Dhoni is currently focusing more on power-hitting during his training sessions. This strategy seemed to pay off in the match against the Delhi Capitals as Dhoni’s brief cameo in the first innings proved beneficial for his side.
Despite facing only nine deliveries, the 41-year-old veteran managed to score 20 runs, including two exceptional sixes and a four.
However, Dhoni’s knee injury has raised concerns among the CSK camp. During the match against the Delhi Capitals, he was seen limping while running between the wickets, indicating that his knee issue is still bothering him.
Nevertheless, with his vast experience and exceptional skills, Dhoni remains an asset to the Chennai Super Kings, and the team will undoubtedly hope to see him continue to perform at his best in the upcoming matches.
CSK won the toss and elected to bat first, and the cameo helped them to a score of 167/8. Delhi was restricted to 140/8, and Dhoni and company went on to win the match by 27 runs. After the game, Fleming discussed the preparations that went into Dhoni’s stunning big-hitting in a press conference.
Dhoni magic in Chepauk – Watch
Stephen Fleming explains the training routine behind MS Dhoni’s power-hitting
“He’s just training a certain way, he knows he’s not going bat for a long time. He concentrated more on the last three overs. [He’s] not as mobile between the wickets although today he pushed really hard. So, he’s concentrated on really strong hitting practice.
“You can see the benefits of that. He is just very comfortable being able to play around the ground. We know how good a hitter her is and his access in certain areas is still very strong. That cameo again at the end was valuable in a hard-fought 20 overs,” Stephen Fleming on post match conference.
Fleming’s Positive Outlook on the Team’s Batting Style
It’s interesting to note that even though Chennai went on to score a formidable 167 runs, no batter reached the 30-run threshold. Five batters contributed 20s in addition to Dhoni, with Shivam Dube’s 12-ball 25 being the highest total.
Dube currently controls the middle order in the IPL, while Dhoni controls the lower order. Since then, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming has inspired the players to take chances while playing in the field. CSK started the tournament with a powerful 11, one in which every hitter could contribute with the bat.
Fleming had a different perspective when asked if it was a concern. He stated:
“It’s a reflection of the way games now are played, the players play with more high risks and the way you compose an innings is a little bit different, so I’m happy with the cameos if it keeps pushing you above par.
“What you’ve seen today, maybe a 160 wicket was turned into almost a possible 175-10 because we had positive intent through partnerships and guys playing aggressively. Dube is a good example of that, Rayudu and then MS in the end. We created enough to get ahead of the game, which we are happy with, even though we lost seven wickets.”
Also Read: IPL 2023: Chennai Super Kings Dominate Delhi Capitals To Secure Seventh Win
